Cognitive Closure
by LittleTroublemaker
Summary: Some things just can't be explained.


**Sorry if it's OOC, tends to happen to my writing.  
**

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Dr. Remy Hadley, more commonly known as Thirteen to her colleagues, sat shivering in her not-so-warm car, cheeks flushed from the cold wind howling outside. Her breath came out it white puffs as she rubbed her hands together furiously, trying to use friction to warm her frozen digits. The cold had seeped into her bones, making motor function decrease and every intentional twitch of her hand hurt. It might not have been so bad if she hadn't been obligated to help Kutner with his crazy scheme that had something to do with buckets of ice. She remembers the mischievous glint in his eye as he casually said, "So, Thirteen, you remember how you told me I had one favor from you?" It went downhill from there.

So, after a case of blackmail, Thirteen had rushed out of the hospital to be met with ferocious winds and chilling temperatures, effectively turning her fingers into sculpted ice cubes. Of course she had parked in a structure a blocks away. She cursed under her breath for forgetting those gloves again and potentially giving herself frostbite. She was sure she had put them in her purse. Frostbite was a serious issue- at least mildly serious -in her opinion after today. It even impaired her ability to open her car door.

Now that she thought about it, she had gotten frostbite as a child once. Her thoughts ran rampant, and before she could stop the flow of memories and feelings, she was already remembering it all. It had been a cruel winter, temperatures below zero, wind chill making it even more frigid than usual. Her mother had screamed at her for getting the floor wet, and something in her had snapped. It was possibly the last thread of hope she had. She had rushed out the door in her dripping clothes and ran for hours on end. She had only stopped when she couldn't breathe anymore, her nine year old body trembling from an asthma attack. Shaking her head to throw out the depressing thoughts, she reached for her keys.

While she had been mulling over her memories with a sour expression, she hadn't noticed the man standing about ten feet away. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the white light of the lamp he was standing under. His unshaven face and ruffled hair gave the vibe to a passerby he wasn't exactly well off. His billowing coat seemed just a bit to thin for the chilly winter air, and his crumpled jeans looked a size or two larger than his lean frame.

Thirteen didn't feel the man's stare burning into the side of her head. Usually she was so attuned to her surroundings, easily picking out those who watched her without so much as a glance in their direction. She assumed the slight churning in her stomach was from barely eating anything all day.

She fumbled with her keys, in slightly better control of her Popsicle-like phalanges. Shoving them into the ignition and turned them, the low hum of her Audi made her lips curve upward in the slightest smile. She had a soft spot for her car. She hadn't gone to the fanatical craze most men go through when they buy an expensive sports car, yet it kind of felt like a necessary part of her, silly as it may be. Her eyes rolled at the very thought of naming your vehicle as she turned the heat up until it blasted her in the face. She set the car into reverse, intending to back out of her parking space and get the hell away from the hospital for the night.

Maybe it was from a lack of food or sleep, or maybe she was just going crazy for a second, but at the precise moment she pressed the gas pedal to back out, a figure seemed to dart across her peripheral vision. Slamming on the brakes, her head snapped in that direction, unable to see anyone or anything. The blazing light from her Audi did nothing but illuminate the car in front of her. Shaking it off as exhaustion, she began to back up again.

"You're going crazy," she muttered to herself. At that moment her foot slipped on the gas pedal, and she accelerated suddenly. Her stomach dropped in reaction to the unexpected jolt. She barely had time to gasp in shock before she heard a loud thump and her Audi jumped. Reflexively her foot mashed the brake pedal. "Oh shit," she swore. Nothing metallic thumped like that, it had to have been something soft. Like a cat, dog, or worse; a person. Hastily putting her car in park and unbuckling herself, she hopped out again into the cruel wind. She darted to the rear of her car, praying she hadn't hit anyone.

She could see a limp foot poking out from behind her trunk. She bit back a slew of curses while she kneeled next to the motionless body. Reaching two fingers out to check for a pulse, a bright light cut through the night. Her head snapped up to see one giant ball of light speeding toward them. She was frozen for a second, unable to think or move as her overstimulated senses tried to compensate for themselves. Adrenaline shot through her veins, and time became slower. Her heart thudded unevenly and stuttered in surprise. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and absorbed everything. Turning back to the guy she saw him shuffle and heard him groan. Finally, something instinctual in her brain clicked into place.

Snatching the man's collar, she heaved him backwards with all her strength. She stumble back a bit from overestimating the weight of the lolling body. Her body rolled over his and left their positions reversed, her sprawled out on the ground helplessly. Closing her eyes in a futile way to block out future pain, a small part of her thought about how noble it would be to get broken bones or die for another person. She would be remembered. At least by him anyway. They might tell stories about it. The larger part of her conscience screamed, _Screw being noble, I want to live!_ A hand shot out in the dark, grabbing her wrist and yanking on it relentlessly. Her body rolled toward the person and into safety.

The red car swerved and the driver screamed, "Get out of the fucking way next time, bitch!"

She shows him the finger as she sits up next to her car on the pavement. Her breath is labored, and she's freezing. She glances at the man who had saved her. He definitely looked like he had been through rough times. She awkwardly stood, unsure what to say. It all happened so fast. What are you supposed to say to the guy who you ran over and then saved your life?

"Are you okay?" she stuttered out through the clattering of her teeth.

"I've been through worse," he replied shortly, closing the matter before Thirteen could even think of asking.

"Thanks," she answered hesitantly. He's slightly leaning to the right, and his breathing is more like panting than anything. "You're not looking to good."

"Thanks for the compliment," he snaps back, pressing a hand to his rib cage. He hissed in pain at the contact. Thirteen moved forward to help him, but he jumped back as soon as she took a step toward him.

"I just want to see if you have a broken rib," she enunciated slowly and as clearly as she could. She wasn't sure of what to think of his behavior.

"I don't think it's..." he gasped in pain as he pressed against it again, "Okay, it _might _be broken."

Thirteen lifted a hand and began to feel the different ribs. Her eyebrows shot up from how easily she could feel the rise of a rib against his skin and through his shirt. "Point out to me where the pain is," she ordered, all doctor.

"Here," his finger pointed to the fifth rib the on the left side of the thoracic cavity. She ran her hands along the outer edge she pressed softly against the bone. He sucked in a breath and curled up slightly.

"Does that hurt?" she questioned despite his obvious reaction. "Sharp pain?"

"Yeah," he gasped. Looked like a fracture or break. The only certain way was to get an X-Ray of the chest cavity and thoracic wall. He needed to go to the hospital.

Her brow furrowed and she let her hands drop to her sides. "You probably have a broken rib," she stated. He glanced up at her from his slightly bowed position with unreadable eyes. "It needs to be treated. At a hospital," she enforced.

"Not gunna happen missy," he spat out. "Maybe if you had watched out for that God-damned car I wouldn't have a broken rib."

She balked at his comment. "You stood behind my car to... stop me from being hit?" Her bewildered gaze held his shameful one as he tried to straighten his back.

"Well, I was just going to bang on the windshield, but you slammed on the gas," he mumbled. She shook her head in disbelief.

"You're crazy," she murmured. "I'm going to go now. You can come but only if you go to the hospital."

He stoically watched her climb into her Audi and sit in the heat. She left the door ajar, hoping the prospect of being warm would entice him into going with her. She could be pretty convincing. He gritted his teeth together and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet before realizing the latter was a terrible idea. His eyes flashed from the empty parking spaces to her car a dozen times. She could practically hear him thinking. Giving a theatrical sigh of disappointment, she started to close the door.

"Wait!" he called out.

Cocking her eyebrow she asked innocently, "Yes?"

"I'll get an X-ray."

"Then get in." He hobbled over to the passengers seat before quite ungracefully half opening the door and plopping down on the leather. Her eyes lingered on him just a bit too long. That snotty part of her brain told her how out of place he looked in her classy car.

Starting up the Audi, she asked hesitantly, "What's your name?"

He grunted "Sariel."

Her brow furrowed at such an unusual name. At least she knew it, though. She wasn't about to have some rumors float that he was another nameless one night stand. Although, she had stopped hearing whispers follow her after the hostage situation. Plus her tirades at night had stopped along the same time. They had been a means of coping. Her counselor helped in seeing that there were other things worthwhile. At least she tried to help her see. Sometimes she was clueless as to how writing to a magazine could even possibly help her.

"Don't," Sariel moaned, derailing her train of thought.

"Don't what?" Thirteen asked, pulling up to the ambulance unloading door.

"Don't take me to the ER," he groaned. He sounded like a child trying to get out of school.

Shaking her head she replied, "Sorry, we're already here." The emergency entrance was empty as she parked the Audi. She hopped out of the car and opened his door, hair flying wildly in the wind. He staggered out of the car and nearly fell on her. He had broken out into a light sweat and his face was very pale.

"You okay?" she asked hesitantly, holding out her hands to steady him.

"Just... feel a bit sick," he muttered. "Let's get this on with."

He stumbled forward a bit before Thirteen ran to catch him before he met the pavement. Wordlessly she draped his right arm over her shoulders and helped him walk. His body heat warmed her from the whipping wind. She cumbersomely walked with him to the sliding doors. The smell of cleanliness and antiseptic was familiar in an endearing way. _Not a soul in sight_, she thought, somewhat suspicious of the absence of attendees. Their footsteps clattered as lead him over to an empty bed, and set him down on the gurney.

"Why is no one here?" he asked. His breathing was becoming heavier and no doubt more painful. "When can I leave?"

"No idea," she answered both questions, while snooping around to find some gloves.

"That's weird," he muttered, "Why didn't you check me in?"

Thirteen stopped shuffling through a drawer in realization. She almost smacked her forehead at her stupidity. Remaining cool and collected she said, "Maybe I should do that first."

"Or you could just let me leave and forget about it," he suggested hopefully.

"Sorry, no can do. Wouldn't settle right on my conscience," she smirked. Pulling the curtains closed for a bit of privacy, she walking over to the main desk. She was relieved to find a haggard nurse sitting behind it. The hospital had seemed too empty.

"Yes?" the nurse asked, her voice tart and tired. She glowered up at Thirteen, failing to look superior. She had about two feet on the shorter woman.

Second guessing her hasty decision at coming to the ER, she leaned against the desk in order for Nurse Gretchen to hear her better. Out of all the nurses she had seen frequently, Gretchen was the worst tempered. "Hi. I need the forms to check in..." she trailed off, distracted by the lights flashing outside of the unloading door. The nurse followed her line of sight and cursed lowly. Thirteen was a bit unsure if she was supposed to hear the low oath.

"I thought I paged Dr. Cameron about the pileup," she groaned. "I'm sorry, Dr. Hadley, we need the beds. Feel free to take your patient to the clinic. Or somewhere, just outta here." She added with a bitter tone, "Maybe back to your place."

Thirteen flipped around and grumbled about poor nurse attitudes. Huffing and puffing she sped back to Sariel's bed. Shoving the curtains aside ready to announce that the whole idea of going to the ER to get in faster was fruitless, she froze when she found the bed to be empty. She couldn't have lost Sariel could she? Footsteps clattered and voices announced victims to the flood of doctors behind her. She quickly shook herself out of the trance and strode over to safety in the hallways that led to the center of the hospital.

Sparing a second of calm to watch the activity, she stood a moment longer in the entrance. Attendees swarmed in as paramedics burst through the door. She watched the two fronts clash, like opposing forces in a war being fought. She was fully aware time was ticking on the issue of Sariel. She knew he wouldn't stay in the hospital, that much was clear. Turning her back on the calamity, she jogged to the nearest exit. It required pass code. She entered the digits and burst into the freezing air again. The wind had died down, and her coat provided more of a protection than before.

He couldn't have gone far. It had been a struggle for him to walk seven feet to the door. He had probably slipped out when she was talking to that awful nurse. Jogging to the ambulance parking, she hurried to her car. Her face fell when she saw no one in or around the Audi. She hopped inside and started it up once again.

Driving around the block, she strained her eyes to see anyone at all beside the patients and paramedics being rushed in. She struggled to remember what clothes he was wearing. Something... scraggly. That's all she could remember. She couldn't remember his face, despite the fact she had seen him about five minutes ago. His face was disappearing in her memory, until all she could recall was blue eyes and jet black hair. What was his name? Samuel? She's not really sure. All she knows is that it was an unusual name. Deciding to forget about the guy until tomorrow- because, really, who can search for someone after being at work for nineteen hours- she turned out of the parking lot, and onto the road.

About halfway home, her side vibrated. A bit confused at first, she felt her side for what it was. Her pager vibrated again, and she unhooked it from her side.

"Dammit!" she swore loudly. House was paging her back to the hospital. She had half a mind just to ignore it. Against her better judgment, she turned to go back to the hospital.

Little did she know what awaited her there.

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**A.N. So this story that was originally totally pointless became a start to a completely different story.**

** This isn't the last of that disappearing hobo. It isn't a romantic pairing. Not at all. This might build to another romantic pairing later on with a different character. I don't know yet.  
**

**Review and tell me what you think please!**


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